Designers denounce bags intended to carry babies

on Wednesday,March 31,2010 18:03

In response to the suffocation of three newborns resting in baby slings last year, children's advocates and designers are rallying against the use of similar devices.

CBC News reports that these calls for redesign have pressured baby product manufacturer Infantino to recall three baby sling models, which were denounced by the U.S. Consumer Protection Safety Commission last month.

These carriers are said to be particularly dangerous for newborns, as these children roll easily and become pressed against the sling and the adult's body, which could inhibit breathing. Furthermore, the carriers force infants into a C-shape that presses their chin into their chest, potentially causing positional asphyxiation.

Parents have also called for a more functional and safe baby sling design, Associated Content reports. Some mothers and fathers say that these carriers are uncomfortable for the parent and child, difficult to nurse and walk with, and not made for larger babies.

While advocates say that the recall is a step in the right direction, some individuals are concerned that knock-off designs will continue to pose a safety hazard to newborns.

Corrine Mahar-Sylvestre, an Ottawa-based designer, told CBC News that "baby-wearing manufacturers, retailers and educators have all been trying to get these out of the public's hands for years" and will continue to do so.

Teenlike.com, an ongoing online competition for young home decor designers, announced its second winner. Brandon Dover of Apply Valley, California, was this year's winner, as he created an abstract pen and inkwork design for a bedspread.